FASHION

YOUR FAVORITE BLACK-OWNED BRANDS

By Meloseri Dumnoi, Video Editor

Denim Tears is a brand that has fought for the African-American community through the art of fashion. Tremaine Emory created Denim Tears in September 2020. Emory is an Atlanta native and was raised in Jamaica, Queens. He moved to the United Kingdom in 2010 and earned his fashion qualifications at Marc Jacobs for nine years. Emory has been an advisor to personalities such as Frank Ocean, Virgil Abloh, and Tom Sachs. Tremaine Emory initially started Denim Tears to combat racism and oppression in America. Tremaine’s purpose for Denim Tears was to completely change the American perception of the cotton trade (which was rooted in slavery). The symbol of the cotton wreath has been seen repeatedly throughout Denim Tears’ collections, and it intends to symbolize the strife of Black people.

Emory found his first ounce of inspiration through American painter Kara Walker’s Instagram post of a cotton wreath. The name ‘Denim Tears’ itself started as a playful joke, but as time went on, Emory found meaning to the name, in which the word ‘tears’ means rips and symbolized (in his words) the attrition of life. The brand is known to embed its strong message into the aesthetic of other brands like Converse, Levi’s, and Dior.

Tremaine Emory believes that the African American community can control the definition of who they are. He wants everyone to take the main message when they buy one of his designs — “Keep everything in sight, not in the shadows.” Think about this the next time you order a pair of Denim Tears!

signers can give their creations. With these pieces, he started to get attention from the big names in fashion, including Virgil Abloh. Abloh invited Best to design the denim for his SS19 collection. At that stage, Best was seen as the next generation of designers, and he started to notice how much of an impact someone like him could have on the industry. Upon the birth of his son, he began to think about the mark he wanted to leave in fashion. That was when ‘Who Decides War’ was born. The name of the brand itself is rhetorical, and that’s how Best wanted it.

Everard Best shifted an entire brand to no longer be about the designer but the community and pushing the boundaries that need to be pushed down. The pieces he creates for the brand are wholly symbolic of the political awareness Best has brought to his work through this line. Best wants us to understand that everything around us and within us can’t be controlled by just one person/entity but as a community and a force bounded by unity. The next time you wear your colorful denim, remember that you can change things and strengthen your community.

achieve his goal of creating products for Black people to be seen and heard. As mentioned before, Blackwood made the ESR tote to support the Black Lives Matter protests, and a portion of the proceeds from the bag was donated to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. We love a brand that supports a good cause. However, these totes were discontinued after Blackwood wanted to focus on something other than a trend. A significant goal for Blackwood was to etch himself into fashion history, and that he did. He realizes that as a designer of color, he has to work harder and be better than his counterparts for his piece. Although this is upsetting, it is very accurate. However, Blackwood has showcased that time and time again, he has the talent, the guts, the skill, and the audacity to take on the fashion world, and we can’t wait to see what he does next!

ller through fashion. Every time you put on your Barriers hoodie, you are wearing just a piece of a very long story. Don’t hesitate to educate yourselves, so you know the story behind your clothing.

Everard Best A.K.A. Ev Bravado

A.K.A Murder Bravado released the first line of Who Decides War in 2019. Like its creator, the brand has gone through several names, and a story is told with each rebrand. Everard Best grew up in Elmont, New York, and brought a new take on fashion to the small suburban town. He was introduced to clothesmaking in his father’s tailor shop, where he played with fabrics and designs. His style was uncommon at the time, but few noticed how groundbreaking his fashion sense would be.

His denim is very intimate to him because he created every one of the sample pieces by hand. Best values his craft so much that each piece gets a portion of the love only de-

Brandon Blackwood, the brand that went viral! You might see more than a few people carrying around the well-made and high-quality mini tote, ‘End Systematic Racism,’ a message that, hopefully, we all support. Let’s dive into the brand that made waves across the internet, supporting a cause near and dear to us. Brandon Blackwood created Brandon Blackwood. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is of Jamaican and Chinese descent. Initially, in terms of schooling, Blackwood enrolled in Bard College for neuroscience. He figured out he was interested in fashion and started teaching himself fashion design. He says that being a self-taught fashion designer allowed him to learn how to work for himself and nobody else, allowing him to explore his creative ideas and push him to start his brand.

Blackwood purchased the LLC for this brand in 2013 and launched his first line of handbags in 2015. You might not have known that each bag he has created was named after really close friends, family, or townships in Jamaica. Every time you purchase a Brandon Blackwood bag, you buy a piece full of sentiment and love. Think about that the next time you create an outfit with a BB tote. This brand is focused on modernity and functionality, pushing Blackwood to

Steven Barter, a New York native but Los Angeles resident, created Barriers in 2015. The purpose of his line was to share untold Black history stories in a way that today’s youth can easily digest. Although 2015 was not too long ago, it wasn’t prevalent to have such a message in your brand. Many didn’t care but still appreciated the aesthetics. However, with his designs, Barter pushes out strong messages while maintaining a ‘cool’ or ‘swaggy’ look. Barter’s designs are created by taking specific historical topics or figures that others may be unfamiliar with and then amplifying them via bold, eye-catching collages and portraits on the clothing. He highlights the trailblazers in the Black community and passes important messages to the consumers of his products. Barter didn’t look outside but within his home and family, searching for inspiration. His most popular product so far is his well-designed and high-quality hoodies. In addition to designing, Barter regularly puts on art installations that align with the brand’s focus on storytelling. As he goes on to grow Barriers, Steven Barter not only wants to share Black history but also wants to share untold stories from around the world. I guess you can call him a storyte-

Let’s talk TELFAR. Their signature tote bags alone have taken the world by storm, selling out each time with every release. Telfar Clemens is the founder of the self-named brand TELFAR. This fashion genius was born to Liberian parents in Queens, New York. Although his entire life was not spent there, he returned years later, in 2002, to pursue a career in modeling. While studying at Pace University, Clemens founded the brand TELFAR in 2005, and well, the rest is history. Clemens found his inspiration for the brand in big-box stores and the outfits of strangers walking around New York City. What motivated him to create his line the most was the limited clothing options that represented his style, so he made his own. As the famous quote says, “If you want it done properly, do it yourself.” The renowned shopping bags we all know and love were first released in 2014 and coined the “Bushwick Birkin.”

Yes, TELFAR has been around for quite a while; the brand’s sales, however, only peaked in 2020! This is particularly interesting due to a decrease in sales because of the pandemic. However, this was not the case for TELFAR. The New York Times called 2020 “The Year of TELFAR.” Although the tote bags are the first thing we think about when it comes to the brand, TELFAR’s collection combines unisex designs with the principles of comfortable sportswear and, in Telfar’s words, “simplexity.” Telfar Clemens’ identity as a queer person of color contributes to the brand’s overall message of inclusivity. Everybody should have cute clothes to wear, and everyone should feel unique. The whole point of the brand was to create accessible and affordable luxury. And that it did!